Edwards joins Argentina defence for 2027 World Cup — SkimNews
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- Shaun Edwards has joined Argentina's coaching staff as defence coach on a deal running until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, ending speculation he could take a role in Steve Borthwick's England set-up.
- The 59-year-old Englishman will first fulfil his consultancy role with England's women's team before joining head coach Felipe Contepomi's staff, with the Pumas set to face Ireland, Italy and France in November Nations Championship matches.
- Edwards left his position as France men's defence coach earlier this year after helping them win three Six Nations titles; the source describes him as 'one of the most decorated coaches in rugby union.'
- Edwards and former Argentina head coach and hooker Mario Ledesma, appointed to take charge of the forwards, will both start work with the Pumas at the end of October.
- Argentina are three-time World Cup semi-finalists and have been drawn in a 2027 pool (1 October–13 November) with Fiji, Spain and Canada.
- Edwards previously turned down an England coaching role in 2006 while grieving his brother's death, citing Wasps' busier fixture list, and again in 2008 chose Wales' defence job over England's Saxons.
Why it matters: Argentina are three-time World Cup semi-finalists who have never reached the final, and the union is now adding the northern hemisphere's most decorated defence coach plus a former head coach (Ledesma, forwards) to break that ceiling. Edwards and Ledesma start at the end of October, giving the Pumas a full year of integration before their 2027 pool opener against Fiji, Spain or Canada in Australia.
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